Promise from Foxconn on democratic union is broken

May 10, 2013

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A recent report conducted by a group of scholars and students from China and Hong Kong reveals that the high enrolment rate of Foxconn union is just window-dressing. The world's biggest factory empire has never realized its commitment to promote democratic industrial relation and to fulfill its corporate social responsibility. In addition, according to the latest news report from a Chinese newspaper, the promised union elections are in limbo.
SACOM urges Foxconn to push forward the democratization of trade union as soon as possible.

A recent report conducted by a group of scholars and students from China and Hong Kong reveals that the high enrolment rate of Foxconn union is just window-dressing. The world's biggest factory empire has never realized its commitment to promote democratic industrial relation and to fulfill its corporate social responsibility. In addition, according to the latest news report from a Chinese newspaper, the promised union elections are in limbo. SACOM urges Foxconn to push forward the democratization of trade union as soon as possible.

On 4 February 2013, the Financial Times reported that Foxconn is
going to launch its first ever democratic union elections among its
factories with the assistance from Fair Labor Association (FLA). Thus,
"The new generation migrant workers concern programme" research team is
established and studies the development of trade union and workers'
expectation on the future union.

The report released on 1 May 2013 discovers that although workers
generally understand what a labour union is, their understanding on the
current "Trade Union Law" in China is weak. More than half of the
workers (55.5%) fail to notify both of their legal rights to vote and to
stand as a candidate for the union. Worse still, Workers' participation
of the current trade union in Foxconn is almost absent. Workers reflect
that they joined the union "automatically" when they were hired by
Foxconn. They have extremely little idea about the operation of the
trade union. For example, more than 95% of the workers do not know if
they have paid the membership fee of the union.

Besides, there are only few channels for them to reach the union. One of
them is the labour caring hotline "78585", which is a complaint and
counselling channel set up by Foxconn for workers. However, there are
reports about the complainants often got revenge from their seniors and
complaints are never solved. From the above findings, the genuine trade
union with democratic participation never exists. Foxconn's union
promise is only for their marketing image and a faked response to their
customers'
concern.

The report further confirms Foxconn workers' strong expectations on
genuine trade union, including: firstly, the* Ability to intervene the
management*, the union as a mediator to improve their tiresome working
condition through intervention into the factory management;* *secondly,
*Fight for workers'
rights and basic level workers' participation in the union, *workers are
looking forward to have a democratic union with frontline workers'
participation for worker's rights and interests.

Unfortunately, there was another report from a mainland Chinese press,
Securities Daily on 6 May 2013, referring to a Foxconn spokesperson,
who claimed that "union election is never on Foxconn's agenda". SACOM is
very regretted that Foxconn has broken its promise to launch a
genuinely representative union election. We see no reason for Foxconn to
ignore workers' strong and clear demand on the democratization of
union.

We are asking Foxconn:

1. together with FLA, to give a full account on direct union elections
in Foxconn factories;
2. to promote genuine democratization and participation of general
workers on trade union as soon as possible;
3. to fulfil its responsibilities and promises on the issue of labour
rights and respect the dignity of workers.